EQS-News: Half-year results for 2026: Business development in line with expectations, guidance confirmed; lighting transformation accelerated

PRESS RELEASE

Lippstadt, Germany
30 July 2026

Half-year results for 2026: Business development in line with expectations, guidance confirmed; lighting transformation accelerated
 

• Currency-adjusted sales increase by 1.6 percent to €4,040 million; taking into account negative exchange rate effects, reported sales are at €3,972 million and therefore at prior-year level
• Sales development in the first half of the year driven by the Business Groups Electronics and Lifecycle Solutions; Lighting records sales and margin decline
• Operating income reduces to €214 million, operating Income margin stands at 5.4 percent
• Net cash flow amounts to €66 million after a negative figure in the first quarter; in relation to reported sales, net cash flow is at 1.7 percent
• Company outlook for fiscal year 2026 is confirmed

HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA (“FORVIA HELLA”) today presented its financial results for the first six months of the fiscal year 2026 (1 January to 30 June 2026). Currency-adjusted sales in the first half of the year rose by 1.6 percent to €4,040 million. Taking into account negative exchange rate effects, reported consolidated sales maintained the level of the prior year at €3,972 million (previous year: €3,979 million). During the same period, the global automotive market developed weakly, with global light vehicle production decreasing by 1.0 percent.

Operating income of FORVIA HELLA decreased to €214 million in the first six months of the current year (previous year: €237 million). The operating income margin consequently stands at 5.4 percent (previous year: 6.0 percent). Following a negative value in the first quarter of 2026, the net cash flow improved. It now stands at €66 million for the half-year period (previous year: €114 million), representing 1.7 percent in relation to reported sales (previous year: 2.9 percent). The lower figure compared with the previous year is, among other things, attributable to cash outflows for structural improvements.

“Our business development to date is in line with our expectations. On the one hand, our sales have outperformed the development of global vehicle production, thanks in particular to our successful Electronics business. On the other, in an inflationary environment where cost pressures along our supply chain are gradually increasing, we have been able to effectively mitigate this impact and maintain our overall profitability at a robust level. In addition, our cash flow has shown a solid trend in recent months based on an efficient capex allocation. In sum, we have achieved resilient results in an industry characterized by numerous challenges," says Prof. Dr. Peter Laier, CEO of FORVIA HELLA.

Sales development in the first half of the year driven by the Business Groups Electronics and Lifecycle Solutions; Lighting records sales and margin decline  In the Business Group Electronics, sales in the first half of the fiscal year 2026 increased by 4.0 percent (organic: +6.6 percent) to €1,799 million compared to the prior-year period (previous year: €1,731 million). This was driven by successful business development in the areas of radar sensor technology and energy management, for example with low-voltage converters and battery management systems. The operating income of the Business Group improved to €144 million in the first half of 2026 (previous year: €121 million), and the operating income margin consequently rose to 8.0 percent (previous year: 7.0 percent).

In the Business Group Lighting, sales decreased by 5.3 percent (organic: -3.6 percent) to €1,765 million (previous year: €1,864 million). In the Asian region, the Lighting segment was able to keep its sales stable, due to various new production launches for Chinese and international manufacturers. In the other regions, however, the phase-out of series projects and lower call-off volumes for existing customer programs, among others in connection with customer mix effects, have impaired the business development of the Business Group. The operating income of the Lighting Business Group fell to €7 million (previous year: €63 million), particularly due to negative volume effects, resulting in an operating income margin of 0.4 percent (previous year: 3.4 percent).

In the Business Group Lifecycle Solutions, sales improved by 4.0 percent (organic: +5.3 percent) to €521 million (previous year: €501 million). Therefore, the positive business development, which had already begun in the second half of 2025, continued in the first half of this year. This was driven, first, by a successful business with manufacturers of specialist vehicles, primarily in the truck, bus, agricultural, and construction equipment segments. Second, the aftermarket and workshop business has also grown, both in the core business as well as through portfolio expansions – for example, with the re-entry into the thermal business. Operating income rose to €65 million in the reporting period (previous year: €53 million); the operating income margin increased to 12.4 percent (previous year: 10.6 percent).

Company outlook for fiscal year 2026 is confirmedWith the presentation of the half-year results, FORVIA HELLA confirms its guidance for fiscal year 2026 (1 January to 31 December 2026). The Company continues to expect currency-adjusted sales between around €7.4 and 7.9 billion and an operating income margin between around 5.4 and 6.0 percent. For the net cash flow in relation to reported sales, a figure of at least 1.8 percent is still forecast.

“We are operating in a very challenging environment. We continue to see a high degree of uncertainty and, as things stand, expect the decline in global vehicle production to accelerate further in the second half of the year. In the short term, therefore, the key will be to respond dynamically to market fluctuations and to offset further price increases as much as possible. We will also consistently drive forward the turnaround of our Lighting business. Initial results are already visible, for example in order intake. We are accelerating the Lighting transformation further and focusing it more intensively on achieving an immediate, sustainable improvement in profitability. This is expected to have an impact in the second half of 2026 already”, says CEO Peter Laier. “Furthermore, we will capitalize on the most attractive growth opportunities, particularly in areas such as automated driving, electromobility and zonal E/E architectures, and play a leading role in shaping these trends.”

Organic sales growth: Change in external sales assuming constant exchange rates

Selected key financial figures in € millions or as a percentage of sales for the first half of the fiscal year (1 January to 30 June each):

 

Note: The financial report for the first half of the fiscal year 2026 is also available on the website of HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA.

FORVIA, a global automotive technology supplier, comprises the complementary technology and industrial strengths of Faurecia and HELLA. With over 137,500 people, including more than 12,000 R&D engineers across 40+ countries, FORVIA provides a unique and comprehensive approach to the automotive challenges of today and tomorrow. Composed of 6 business groups and a strong IP portfolio of over 12,400 patents, FORVIA is focused on becoming the preferred innovation and integration partner for OEMs worldwide. In 2025, the Group achieved a consolidated revenue of €26.2 billion prior to IFRS 5. FORVIA SE is listed on the Euronext Paris market under the FRVIA mnemonic code and is a component of the SBF 120 index. FORVIA aims to be a change maker committed to foreseeing and making the mobility transformation happen. www.forvia.com

FORVIA HELLA is a listed international automotive supplier. As a company of the FORVIA Group, FORVIA HELLA stands for high-performance lighting technology and vehicle electronics and, with the Lifecycle Solutions Business Group, also covers a broad service and product portfolio for the spare parts and workshop business as well as for manufacturers of special vehicles. With currently around 34,000 employees at over 125 locations, the company is active worldwide and generated adjusted sales of €8.0 billion in the fiscal year 2025. www.hella.com